ISSUE: Beach Sweep/River Sweep

OUR VIEW: Annual event illustrates scope of continuing problem 

A Star Wars light saber, an apartment door, a fax machine, and yes, even the kitchen sink are among just some of the unusual items found in previous years during the largest one-day cleanup of the states waterways -- Beach Sweep/River Sweep.

During 20 years of the cleanup, South Carolinians and visitors to the state have helped remove an average of 50 tons of litter and aquatic debris from waterways each year.

The evidence is clear indicator that despite all the go green emphasis in our state and society as a whole, there is still a big problem with littering and outright dumping.

We've come a long way, no doubt. Education and environmental consciousness are reality in 2008. More Americans than ever are aware of the fragile nature of our environment and protecting it.

Unfortunately, a whole lot of people arent. And while they may not be dumping their household garbage into streams and rivers and at the beaches as once might have occurred, they remain only marginally more conscious of the damage they do.

Every year, the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium sponsors Beach Sweep/River Sweep. This year the event is Saturday, Sept. 20, from 9 a.m. until noon.

And despite the sensational nature of some items found, data from previous Beach Sweep/River Sweep events indicate that South Carolinas aquatic litter problem is closely tied to the careless disposal of everyday items such as cigarette butts and the type of things one might take to the beach or lake to eat and drink.

Plastics and our careless, throwaway lifestyle are top culprits. The very thing that makes such material useful to life -- it is lightweight and durable -- makes it a menace when disposed of improperly in waterways. It floats and is not readily biodegradable.

Cigarette butts are the most-often reported items, followed by foamed plastic pieces, plastic pieces, metal beverage cans, plastic food bags/wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, plastic caps/lids, plastic straws, miscellaneous plastics, glass beverage bottles, paper pieces and plastic cups/utensils.

Can you imagine what our rivers would be like now -- with so many more people and so much more waste -- if people still disposed of trash and garbage in the same way as they once did? And volunteers and others did not pick of tons of trash each year? The waterways would be unusable.

As much progress as has been made, there is more to be done. The problem starts and stops with every one of us.

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